Intermittent-feeler mechanism for looms



Aug. 17 1926. 1,596,575

| H. BROWN El AL INTERMITTENT FEEL-ER MECHANISM FOR LOOMS Filed March30, 1926 I5 Sheets-Sheet 1 lNVE N TOR A r-roR/v Ey H. BROWN ETALINTERMITTENT FEELER MECHANISM FOR LOOMS Filed March 30, 1926 3Sheets-Sheet 2 I ATTORNEY Aug. 17 1926 L. H. BROWN ET AL INTERMITTENTmama MECHANISM FOR LOOMS Filed March 30, 1926 3 S heets-Sheet .5

Patented Aug. 17, 1926.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LARKIN H. BROWN, OF BEVERLY HILLS, CALIFORNIA, AND GEORGE E. BEPASS, OI

KNOXVILLE, TENNESSEE, ASSIGNORS DRAPER CORPORATION, MASSACHUSETTS, ACORPORATION OF MAINE.

INTERMITTENT-FEELEB imcmmrsm r03 Looms.

Application filed March 30, 1926. Serial No. 98,518.

This invention relates to feeler mechanisms for looms, and moreparticularly to feeler mechanisms of the intermittent type wherein thefeeler is held in an inopera- 5' tive position for periods of time andis released at intervals to the performance of its feeling function.

Owing to the recurring contacts ,of the feeler with the filling ondetecting beats where the feeler is mounted .to engage the fillingthroughout the loom operation, much injury to the filling is liable toresult. To avoid this condition, feeler mechanisms of the intermittenttype have recently come into use, so that the feeler is normally held in'a frontward inoperative position for periods of time and is released-atintervals to permit it to move to feeling position, and should it detecta working supply of filling in the 2 shuttle duringits period ofactivity, it is again returned to a. frontward inoperative ositionuntil, on a detecting beat, the feeler detects an approach tosubstantial exhaustion, whereupon it remains active and upon substantialexhaustion of the filling, calls for replenishment.

The feeler mechanism of the present invention is of this general type,but differs from previous intermittent feeler mechanisms in variousfeatures of structure and operation, as will later more fully appear.

In a prior a plication by the present applicants, Seria No. 45,349,filed July 22, 1925, a feeler mechanism is disclosed wherein the feeleris contained within an enclosing case with relation to which it hasmovements towards and from the front of the loom and also in a directionlongitudinally of the shuttle. The feeler mechanism of the priorapplication has proven in practice to be sensitive both to the presenceand absence of filling in the shuttle, and to act effectively in callingthe change when the filling in the V shuttle has become substantiallyexhausted.

The present invention is one aspect thereof includes such a feelercombined with means for controlling its periods of activity andinactivity, and-one of the. objects of the present invention, therefore,is to prbvide anin- -ing the relation 0 t by the late ing operation. Theintermittent control or HOPEDALE,

mechanism is of novel construction and includes as part thereof afeeler'catch for engaging the feeler when it is moved frontwardly on adetecting beat by a working supply of filling, and a feeler latch formoving'the feeler frontwardly beyond the reach of the filling, andinasmuch as the parts are contained in casings, a differential deviceisemployed for controlling the action of the latch and the trip which actsthrough 'the catch; v

The invention, new combination of parts and novel features thereof willbest be made clear from the following description and the accompanyingdrawings of one good form thereof.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is'a perspective view of some of the loom parts at the feelerside 'thereof, provided with the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a. plan view-with the top casing of the intermittent controlmechanism re-- moved;

Fig. 3 is a section on the line of F Fig. 4: is a side elevation of thefeeler mechanism with arts broken away, showf lthe elements thereof whenthe feeler is moved frontwardlygby a working supply of filling on adetectingbeat;

5 1s a view similar 'to that of Fig. 4 showing the feeler as having beenmov frontwardlg Fig. is a plan view of the-intermittent beyond the reachof the filling v separated relation of I the parts constituting portionsof the feeler control mechanism;

Fig. 9 is a plan view showing more particularly the feeler. and relationof parts when it detects substantial exhaustion of the filling in theshuttle; and

Fig. 10 is an enlarged perspective yiew showing the rearend of thefeeler.

The mechanism of the present invention is herein shown as associatedwith a train of devices for effecting replenishment of filling whenthefilling in the shuttle as been substantially exhausted, but since thedetails of the replenishing mechanism form no essential part of thepresent invention,'they are not herein shown and described.

The loom frame 1 may struction and as indicated in Fig. 1 an arm 2 risesfromthe transverse or usual'rock shaft at the front of the loom and haspivoted thereto at 3 an actuator 4, the rear end portion ofwhich isprovided with a housing 5 containing an opening 6 into which may extendat times an operating member 7, herein shown as a part connected to thecam follower 8. Pivotally mounted .on the lugs 9 extending from thehousing 5 is a lever 10 having an arm 11 which, under the control of thefeeler .to be hereinafter described, may

be placed in the path of the operating member 7: to initiatereplenishment of filling. Extending from the levr 10 in operativerelation therewith is a transmitter 12 which may be engaged and moved bythe feeler when the latter 'partakes of its. side swipe movement.

The lay the reception of the has the usual shuttle box 13 for shuttle14:, and the front wall of the shuttlebox has an opening 15 adapted toregister with a similar openlng 16 in thevfront wall of the shuttle whenthe latter is J-properly boxed, the construction being such that thefeeler may enter the shuttle on detecting. beats and detect thecondition of the fill1ng therein. The arts so far described with respectto the eeler mechanism may be substantially the same as those more fullyshown and described in the prior applrcation above mentioned.

Extending from the shipper stand 1 is an arm 18 to which may eadjustably connected the bracket 19 for supporting the intermittentfeeler mechanism.

As more clearly indicated in Fig. 9, the feeler 20 is mounted formovement towards and from the front of the loom and longitudina.lly 'ofthe shuttle on the feeler stand 21 which is perferably formed as acasing havmentioned. As indicated in Fig. 10,

be of usual conu ing a top plate 22 (Fig. 1) for enclosing the mainportions of the feeler. ,The feeler enclosing casing is provided withtrayckways 23 (Fig. 9) on which the feeler may slide and tilt, andextending laterally from the feeler is an arm 24:, the toe portion 25 ofwhich is adapted to engage a stop or projec tion 26 when the feeler isin its rearward feeling position, and about the projection 26 the feelermay swing laterally when it is freed to its side slipping movement.spring 27 is connected at one end tothe laterally extending arm 24 at 28and the rear end portion of the spring is engaged with a fixed portion.29 on the feeler stand. The construction thus far described may besubstantially the same as that more fully shown and described in theapplication hereinbefofie t e feeler 20 has the toothed end portion 30,the teeth of which are formed on the rounded end of the feeler to engagethe filling, and when a workin supply is present in' the shuttle toefiectnely prevent side slipping movement of the feeler on a detectingheat, but permit such side slipping movement when (as indicated in Fig.9) the filling carrier or bobbin is ,substantially'exhausted of filling.

- Pivotally supported at 31 in an opening 32 formed in the cover plate22 is the feeler catch 33 having a shoulder 34, and the feelercatch 33is normally under the influence of means, presently to be described, forholding the feeler catch in its feeler engaging position, as indicatedin Figs. 3 and 4.

Associatedwith the feeler catch 33 is the feeler latch 35 ivoted on astud 36 mounted on the cover ate 22. The feeler latch 35 extends overtli catch and has a downwardly- 38 in close proximity to the s thefeeler catch. The feeler oulder 34' of latch 35 is mounted not only forpivotal movement about its support 36 but is also ca under the influenceof the catch 33 .whenv the latter is moved to its feeler freein position(as indicated in Fig. 7). The notion of the feeler CatOhlS to en age thefeeler when it is moved frontw'ardly by a working supply. of filling inthe shuttle on a detectin beat, and hold it for the engagei -ment of t elatch therewith, and, as

presently appear, the latch is thereupon e tail portion 37 of the feelerrojecting lug.

swung about its pivotal support to withdraw the feeler' frontwardlybeyond the reach of the filling under the dictates of the intermittentcontrol mechanism.

As he'reinbefore explained, the feeler is under the influence of aspring at. one side of its longitudinal axis to move the feeler into itsrearward feeling position, and consequently the shoulder of the feelercatch and the lug on the feeler latch'are positioned to engage thelaterally extending arm 24 of the feeler beyond the spring 27 at a pointadjacent the toe of the lateral projection, the result being that thefeeler when held in its frontward inoperative position will bemaintained in parallelism with its normal feeling position. Thisrelation of the feeler catch and feelerlatch with the laterallyextending arm 24 of the 'feeler is important because should the catchand latch engage the feeler betweenthe spring and the longitu'dinal axisof the feeler, the tendency of the spring would be to turn the feelerlaterally out of its true eeling position.

Extending upwar 1y from the cover plate 22 is a pin or bolt 40 whichsupports the intermittent control mechanism, and such pin or bolt 40 isutilized to maintain the cover plate 41 which encloses the intermittentcontrol mechanism, and to this end the upperbnd of the bolt is threadedand pro v1 ed with anut 42.

Rotatably mounted upon the bolt or pin- 40 is a toothed wheel 43, two ofthe teeth of which (as at 44) are deeper than the remaining teeth. Alsomountedcon the pin or bolt 40 below the toothed wheel 43 for rotation onthe bolt or pin is the toothed wheel 45, the teeth of which are spacedapart similarly to the teeth of the wheel 43, and separating the twotoothed wheels is the plate 46 which may be held from rotative movementby an arm 47 secured to the cover plate 22 by a pin 48.

The lower toothed wheel 45 has associated with it a tripto act upon thefeeler catch at intervals, and also has a feeler latch withdrawing cam.These parts are probably best shown by Fig. 8' wherein the toothed wheel45 has secured to it the plate 49 from which extends a tri lug 50, andbelow the plate 49 the toothed wheel 45 has likewise secured to the cam51 for controlling the frontward "and rearward position of the feelerlatch. In accordance with the present invention, the intermittentcontrol mechanism is to be actuated step-by-step, first, to move thefeeler latch frontwardly to withdraw the feeler with a quick movementbeyond the reach of thefilling, and, second, to move the trip moreslowlyto permit longer periods of inactivity of the feeler before thetrip acts upon the catch to free the feeler from the latch.

1n the present instance of the invention, a

plunger operated pawl is employed to effect the desired movements of thefeeler control mechanism, andthe active endof the pawl is of sulficientwidth to act upon the teeth of both wheels at times, and to act only onthe topwheel at other times, as will presently appear. I

Mounted in bearings 52 risingfrom the cover late 22 is a .bunter 53normally under the in uence of a spring 54 tending to move the hunterrearwarclly, and pivotally sup ported upon the hunter at 55 is the pawl56 having a light spring 57 for normally moving the active end of thepawl into engagement with the toothed-wheels. The bunter 53 has a sleeveportion 58 (Fig. 3) in which is mounted the yielding end. 59 of thebunter,

normally under the influence of a spring 60, the construction being suchthat when the end portion 61 of the sleeve meets the rear bearing 52 ofthe bunter, the yielding tip portion 59 of the hunter will yieldfrontwardly to accommodate the lay movement .the same time engaging theteeth of the lower wheel 45, until a deep tooth 44 of the upper wheelcomes opposite the pawl, whereupon the pawl will act upon both wheelsand impart the step movement, and since there are only two deep teeth onthe upper wheel, the lower wheel will be given a step movement toactuate the trip 50 only twice during a. full rotation of the uppertoothed.

wheel, the effect being that the trip 50 will be moved more slowly thanis the upper toothed wheel and finally act upon the rear end portion ofthe catch 33, depress it, and disengage the catch and the latch from thefeeler that the latter may move to full feeling position.

Assuming now that the feeler is in its full feeling position (asindicated in Figs. 2 and 3) and is moved frontwardly by a workingsupplyof filling on a detecting beat (as indicated in Fig. 4),the shoulder 34of the catch (which is now in the position indicated by Figs. 2, 3 and4) will engage the laterally extending arm 24 of the feeler be yondlthespring, and will hold it, and the feeler latch will thereupon beoperated to swing it frontwardly and cause its down- .wardly extendinglug 38 to withdraw the feeler frontwardly beyond the reach of thefilling. To this end the feeler latch 35 has a projection 62 which ridesupon the broken cam 51 and when the feeler has been released to itsfeelin v function by the trip 50 (as indicated in hig. 2) the projection62 will enter the broken portion or recess 63 of the cam 51 and thefeeler latch will assume its rearward position. When the feeler is to bewithdrawn frontwardly by the latch, it is desirable that its frontwardmovement be imparted quickly, and to this-end the teeth on thelowertoothed wheel substantially opposite the trically arranged relativeto the teeth of the lower wheel diametrically opposite, with the resultthat when the feeler has been moved. frontwardly by a working supply offilling and has been engaged by the catch, a quickv frontwardly towithdraw the feeler into a frontward inoperative position, and theprojection 62 of the latch occupies the recess 63 of the lower wheel,the eccentric-a1 teeth on the lower wheel which 'are then opposite thepawl, will be engaged by the pawl and the lower wheel be given a quickstep-by-stcp movement for part of a revolution to effect such quickwithdrawal movement of the latch. v

It will be noted that the latch overlies the tail end portion 37 of thecatch, the result being that when the catch 33 is actuated by the trip50, both it and the latch are raised to tree the feeler.

From the construction described itwill be apparent that the presentinvention provides a'compact intermittentfeeler mechanism, all or theparts of which are protected from the accumulation of "lint-which mightinterfere with the accurate operation of the fieeler, and provision ismade in the compact arrangement for prolongeddwells of thefeeler duringits inactive period, and the feeler itself when held in its frontwardinoperative position is parallelto the position the feeler takes when infull feeling position,

A spring'fi l' may be interposed between the cover plate 41 and theintermittent control-mechanism. to maintain them in opera-.

tive relation and prevent overthrow t nder the action of the pawl.

i seen that when the feeler is moved front- From the constructiondescribed it will be wardly by a working supply of filling on adetecting beat, the laterallyprojecting anm 24 will he engaged by thefeeler catch and be held by it in the position to which it has beenmoved by the workingsup-ply of filling.

recess 63 of the cam are eccening means for at intervals,

teasers Simultaneously the laterally projecting arm will be engaged bythe feeler latch, and when partially denuded-filling carrier for thefeeler catch to engage the laterally extending arm 24 of the feeler andthe feeler will consequently remain in feeling position and uponsubstantial exhaustion "of filling it will move and actuate fillingreplenishment or loom stoppage, as the case may be.

What is claimed is:-

1. In an intermittent feeler mechanism for looms, the combination of afeeler, a feeler catch to catch and hold the feeler when it is movedfrontward by a working supply of filling, a feeler latch andoperatwithdrawing the feeler frontwardly away from the catch,step-by-step mechanism for moving the catch at intervals, interengagingparts between the catch and the latch for freeing the feeler from thelatch when the catch is actuated by the step-by-step' mechanism.

2. In an' intermittent feeler mechanism for looms, the combination of afeeler, means for withdrawing the feeler frontwardlybeyond the reach' ofthe filling, a trip for freeing thefeeler from said means and a tripcontroller com rising two independently rotatable whee s, a hunteractuated pawl operative on one of said wheels on, each active stroke ofthe pawl, means carried by said operated wheel for controlling theaction of the pawl on the other wheel, and connections between the saidother wheel and trip for releasing the feeler when the pawl has movedsaid other wheel apredetermined amount.

3. In an intermittent -feeler mechanism for looms, the combination of afeeler, a

.ing said toothed wheel, and means for ren longitudinally along thefilling carrier dering the pawl active upon said toothed wheel atirregular intervals during the regular hunter actuation of said pawl.

4."In an intermittent feeler. mechanism for looms, the combination of afeeler, a feeler latch for holdingthe feeler in a frontward inoperativeposition, a toothed wheel having a trip for freeing the feeler from thelatch, a bunteractuatedpawlforturning the toothed wheel, and a secondwheel ing the pawlactive and inactive at intervals on the saidtoothed'wheel.

'5. In an intermittent feeler mechanism for looms, the combination of afeeler, a

feeler latch for holding the feeler in a front- Ward inoperativeposition, a trip for freeing the feeler at intervals, a. toothed wheelcarrying said trip, a step-by-step pawl for actuating said toothedwheel, and a pawl controller operated'by the pawl for rendering the pawloperative at intervals on the Said toothed wheel.

6. In a feeler mechanism for looms, the combination of a feeler, a latchfor retracting and holding the feeler in a frontward inoperativeposition, astep-by-step device having-a track for retracting the latch.and atrip for freeing the feeler at intervals, a pawl for operatingsaid device, and a pawl controller for rendering the pawl operative onsaid device during some of its active,

strokes and inoperative on said device dur- ..ing others of its activestrokes. 25

I. In a feeler mechanism for looms, the combination of a feeler, a latch.for withdrawing and holding the feeler in a frontward inoperativeposition, a toothed wheel having a track for Withdrawing the'latch and atrip for freeing the feeler, a second toothed wheel having teeth ofdifferent depths, a bunter having a pawl to act upon both toothed wheelsand controlled in its operative relation With the first toothed wheel bythe variation in-depths of the teeth on the second toothed wheel.

8. In a feeler mechanism for looms, the combination of a feeler stand, afloating side-slipping nonpivoted feeler mounted di-' vrectly on'thestand for movement towards and from the front of the loom and in adirection longitudinally of the shuttle, a spring acting upon thefloating feeler to move it to rearward feeling position, a latch forholding the floating feeler in a frontward' inoperative positlon, andmeans for tripping the latch at intervals that the floating feeler mayhave periods of activity and .inactivity during weaving with the samesupply of filling in the shuttle.

9. In a feeler mechanism for looms, the. combination of a feeler stand,a floatin side-slipping, non-pivoted feeler mounte directly on the standfor movement towards and from the front of the loom and in a directionlongitudinally of the shuttle, an arm extended laterally from thefloating feeler, a spring acting to move the feeler to its rearwardfeeling position, a latch adapted to engage the laterally extended armto hold the floating feeler in a frontward inoperative position, andmeans for freein the feeler from the latch at intervals t at thefloating feeler may have periods of activity and inactivity duringweaving with the same supply of filling side-slipping and non-pivotedfeeler directly mounted on the stand for movement towards and from theloom and in a dircction longitudinally of the shuttle, a lateralprojection extending a substantial distance from the feeler, a springacting upon the lateral projection atone side of the longitudinal axisof the feeler to move it rearwardly into feeling position, a latch forengaging the lateral projection to hold the feeler in a frontwardinoperative position parallel to its rearward feeling position, meansfor moving. the latch frontwardly when engaged with the lateralprojection to withdraw the feeler beyond the reach of the filling, and'a trip to disengage the latch at intervals that the feeler may move tofeeling position.

11. In a feeler mechanism for looms, the combination of a feeler havingperiods of activity andinactivity during weaving with the same supply offilling in the shuttle, a feeler control mechanism comprising a catchfor engaging the feeler when it is moved frontwardly by a working supplyof filling, a latch for withdrawing the feeler frontwardly away from thecatch, a trip for freeing the feeler at intervals, and an enclosing casefor protecting the feeler control mechanism from accumulation of lintand foreign substances.

12. In a feeler mechanism for looms, the combination of a feeler standcomprising an enclosing case, a floating side slipping non-pivotedfeeler mounted directly within the enclosing case for movement towards-13. In a'feeler mechanism for looms, the

combination of a feeler having a laterally extending arm, a sprin actingupon sa1d armto normally move t e feeler rearwardly, an enclosing casefor said parts, means mounted above the case and projecting into thecase for engaging the laterally extending arm of the feeler to hold itin frontward inoperative position, and intermittent control mechanismmounted above the case for controlling said means.

' 14. In afeeler mechanism for looms, the combination of a feeler havinga laterally extending arm a sprin acting upon said arm to normally movet e feeler rearwardly, an enclosing case for said parts, means mountedabove the case and projecting into the case for engaging the laterallyextending arm of the feeler to hold it in frontward inoperativeposition, intermittent controlmechanism mounted abovethe case forcontrolling said means, case for protecting said mechanism.

In testimony whereof, we have signed our names to this specification.

'LARKIN H. BROWN.

GEORGEE. REPASS}.

and an enclosing means and control

